SKAGIT
COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ANNOUNCE PLAN TO CREATE SKAGIT COUNTY SALMON HERITAGE PROGRAM

SKAGIT COUNTY - The Skagit
County Board of Commissioners will announce plans to create the Skagit County
Salmon Heritage Program at a press conference, Thursday, March 22, 2007 at 3:00
p.m. at 1800 Continental Place, Mount Vernon, Washington. Modeled on Skagit
County's highly successful Farmland Legacy Program, the Salmon Heritage Program
will acquire conservation easements along key salmon streams in agricultural
areas.

"Salmon and agriculture
represent a shared heritage here in Skagit County, and we have a moral obligation
to safeguard both for future generations," said Skagit County Commissioner
Sharon Dillon. "We're determined to protect agriculture and salmon in Skagit
County. The Salmon Heritage Program demonstrates our commitment to the task."

The Salmon Heritage Program
will pay fair market value for riparian habitat easements. It is anticipated
initial funding for the program will come from a county-wide voter-approved
ballot measure, to be scheduled for August 2007.

Skagit County is actively
seeking participation from state, federal, tribal and private sources. "We're
stepping up and demonstrating resolute leadership on salmon recovery and water
quality," said Dillon. "But we need financial help. We hope our state
and federal governments are listening, because healthy salmon runs and clean
water in the Skagit River benefit our entire region. We also hope our Tribal
neighbors will continue to partner with us in this important effort."

The Skagit River is the
only Puget Sound river system with all five Pacific salmon species. Importantly,
the Skagit River has the largest remaining wild runs of threatened Puget Sound
Chinook salmon, which are the key prey species for endangered Puget Sound Orcas.
The Skagit River watershed is the source of more than one third of the fresh
water entering Puget Sound. Riparian habitat is important for salmon, but a
high proportion of Skagit and Samish River salmon spawning streams are in rural
areas. Rural landowners generally receive no compensation when riparian buffers
are imposed by governmental regulations. In many cases, farmers can lose eligibility
for federal farm program assistance if riparian buffers are imposed by regulation.

During last fall's election,
Skagit County farmers were divided on the issue of Initiative 933, a hotly-contested
statewide ballot measure that would have required local governments to pay fair
market value whenever land use regulations restrict property rights. I-933 was
defeated at the polls, but the Skagit County Commissioners were listening to
agriculture's concerns.

"I-933 went too far,
and was wrong for Skagit County. But the farmers who supported I-933 had a valid
point, and we're directly responding to their concerns," said Skagit County
Commissioner Ken Dahlstedt. "The Salmon Heritage Program will help meet
the County's obligation to protect salmon and water quality, but at the same
time will ensure farmers aren't bearing the burden alone. The Salmon Heritage
Program actually does more for agriculture than I-933 would have done. It's
the right thing to do for farmers, for salmon, and for the future of our county."

By voluntarily selling an
easement to the Salmon Heritage Program, Skagit County contends that landowners
will meet all critical areas requirements arising from state and federal environmental
laws under Washington's Growth Management Act, as well as other County requirements
arising under state and federal environmental laws. Skagit County will stand
with landowners who benefit the community by selling an easement. "The
Salmon Heritage Program is intended to protect farmers in perpetuity, and it
will form a key component of Skagit County's proactive salmon recovery strategy,"
said Skagit County Commissioner Don Munks. "The Salmon Heritage Program
is intended to help address our obligations under the Growth Management Act,
as well as Clean Water Act, Endangered Species Act, and Ecology TMDL requirements."

To the extent a Department
of Fish and Wildlife habitat conservation plan is in place, owners of on-going
agricultural land in dike, drainage and sub-control districts will not be asked
to sell riparian habitat easements. Easement acquisition under the Salmon Heritage
Program will focus on rural lands with salmon spawning streams. However, the
Salmon Heritage Program is crafted to provide long-term protection and certainty
for Skagit County's agricultural community.

Over the past ten years,
Skagit County has spent millions of dollars on litigation over how to protect
both agriculture and salmon.

"We're excited about
getting off the litigation track, and moving decisively forward on salmon recovery
in partnership with landowners, state and federal agencies, local tribes, salmon
recovery groups and other stakeholders," said Dillon.

The first phase of the Salmon
Heritage Program is focused on easement acquisition, and will seek partnerships
with organizations willing to perform riparian restoration on the easements
acquired. After successful completion of Phase I, the Program will focus on
salmon habitat restoration and recovery activities.

'With the listing on the
Puget Sound Orca and Chinook Salmon, Bull Trout and anticipated listing of Steelhead
under the Endangered Species Act, we have to assume as leaders that environmental
regulations will only get tougher in the coming years. That's why we must take
charge of our own destiny, at the local level and craft a proactive solution
that works best for Skagit County. The Salmon Heritage Program is a big step
in that direction," Dillon said.

Skagit County is in the
process of implementing the Salmon Heritage Program, and will release proposed
ordinances and resolutions for public review and comment in the near future.

Additional information is
posted online at www.skagitcounty.net

For further information,
contact: Will Honea
Skagit County Chief Civil Prosecutor
360-416-1400